Listen: Emily Reo - "Peach" (Yalls Remix)

Like the majority of things, I have a rule for remixes: A remix worth even the most cursory of listens should a. remain more or less true to the source material b. quickly and efficiently establish its own uniqueness. It doesn't seem terribly difficult of a rule to follow but the wide majority tend to fail this basic two-part test. While in Austin for SXSW I heard such a remix that did however - during his DJ set at this year's Hype Hotel Berkeley based producer Yalls let his reworking of Emily Reo's Olive Juice standout "Peach" fly and I was utterly floored by its magnificence.

What makes Yalls reimagining of what is already a pretty enjoyable tune in its own right has everything to do with an embrace of dichotomies. Both Yalls' Dan Casey and Reo tend to make tunes that offer up a rather sparse take on electronic music but when paired together, Casey creates a downright kaleidoscopic blend of sounds with a dazzling array of layers. That Reo's voice can be cut/clipped/and patched together in a manner that certainly brings the word stuttering to mind but still maintain a definite sense of fluidity is impressive to say the least. That Casey can do that while recreating the sense of buoyancy of Reo's original more or less from scratch is far more so. Yalls avoids the all too common remix troupe of just toying around with and/or rehashing the source track's most memorable moments and creates a mix that finds the perfect balance between Reo's effervescent dream-pop confection and his own dynamic vision.



Emily Reo's Olive Juice remix album is out now and available to download via Bandcamp.

Watch: Nothankyou - "Oyster"

                                                       (photo by Alexander Kell)

Since the release of her debut full length DIAMONITE back in 2011, BELL aka singer/pianist Olga Bell has meandered a bit away from the direct spotlight. Joining forces with Dirty Projectors, she's been lending her talents to the harmonious Brooklyn collective for the better part of the year and been tinkering away on her own material more or less in secret. Until now. Olga Bell's return isn't that of BELL but rather a collaboration she began with London multi-instrumentalist Tom Vek under the name Nothankyou.

The trans-atlantic collaboration birthed two tracks, one of which - "Oyster" has a starkly beautiful video. In it, Olga Bell is the only focus. Taking at least part of its influence from the 90s Calvin Klein ads, the video is black and white and features a bare Bell singing directly to the viewer while also impersonating Tom Vek who directs the sort of chiding answers back to herself. Maintaining the illusion of an commercial set, there's a brief moment where Bell breaks, removes a donned pink wig and sips an oyster before turning that too into a commercial moment with a coy wink to the camera. It's a simple but elegant video that relies mostly on the song itself to provoke an actual response.



You can nab Nothankyou's debut 7" either on limited edition vinyl or download from Moshi Moshi Records.

Listen: Gracie - "Jackson II"

Any day Brooklyn syth popper Gracie releases a new tune is a good day. The latest tune comes as part of a collaborative transmedia project surrounding Kai Flanders upcoming novella The Red Bicycle which also includes a graphic novel by Kat Glasheen and soundtrack. Considering I'm almost always listening to music when reading, it's really only fitting that The Red Bicycle comes with music and the new Gracie tune selected to go with the novella's previewed first chapter couldn't be more perfect.

Regarding a red bicycle inspired by a crashing plane, Gracie's "Jackson II" makes appropriate use of bicycle bells, playing children, and zooming jet sounds alongside his consistent grade A beat production. Featuring obscured vocals that actually work really well not to overwhelmi the accompanying text, "Jackson II" is marvelously catchy gem. And while that's not really all that out of the ordinary for Gracie, the fact that the same level of songsmithery translates well into this new project with notable outside direction is a commendable feat that should be acknowledged. Consider me properly amped for the rest of the multimedia project as well as the soundtrack which will be out Small Smile Records on August 28th.




You can read Chapter 1 of Kai Flanders' The Red Bicycle over at Impose. Which I strongly recommend and make sure you stream the new Gracie track while you do so.

Listen: Mister Lies - "Magichour" (ft. KNOWER)

My discovery of Chicago based producer Mister Lies occurred in a strangely roundabout fashion by essentially befriending a bunch of bands/artists/bloggers (Cemeteries, Psychic Twin, Foxes in Fiction, and Rafael at Heart & Soul Blog, in particular) with nothing but good things to say about him and his music. While curiosity led me to check out his recently released debut record Mowgli, the only real takeaway I had from it was "Dionysian and yet despite not really getting into the record, the same constant kind words from Mister Lies' pals is what led me to check out his new single "Magichour"

Featuring Los Angeles duo KNOWER, the slow build to out and out danceability with all its rather subtle touches was enough to win me over from the start. As the track gets more involved, I could only find myself more and more enchanted by the track. KNOWER's Genevieve Artadi's vocals are light and feathery soft and the balance between them and the various layers of the song perfect as the instrumentals rise in intensity, threatening to drown out Artadi and leave her behind before sputtering to a sort of instant reset. It's a pretty nifty effect that actually caused me to pay more attention to the rapidly fading vocals.

Perhaps it was my distrust of laptop music that kept me from truly enjoying Mowgli, who's to say? All that I know if that Nick Zanca keeps making tracks with as much unassuming greatness as "Magichour", I'll continue to pay attention. The ball's in your court, Mister Lies.

Listen: Empress Of - "Hat Trick"

There's time when you hear a band talked to so favorably for such a long time that you're almost afraid to check them out for fear they won't live up to  hype. In this case it wasn't a blog or music site overhyping a band, it was Caleb over at Epic Concoction just sharing his fandom in the a show of repetitive concert visits and countless Instagram of the band's live sets detailing their amazingness. I wasn't too sure what to expect but I'm glad I took the time to indulge in Caleb's obvious enjoyment of Empress Of.

In "Hat Trick", the first single from the upcoming Systems EP, Empress Of's appeal is widely apparent. Dreamy, shimmering synth landscapes serve as a showcase for Lorely Rodriguez's nimble vocals. There's laid back beats and an almost lackadaisical forward momentum as the tune chugs along at its own pace. It's layered but revealingly simple at the same time, allowing space between it various moving parts and always making sure that Rodriguez's vocals are front, center, and fully able to flex.

Listen: Jamaican Queens - "Water"

If you were to take some sort of weird inventory of all the things I've spoken highly about you'll notice a common thread; sure they're all GOOD but they also have an added link of me not really knowing what is happening. That's not bad. My favorite music just happens to be the type that manages to deftly dodge any labels that you try to stick on to it. The latest being Jamaican Queens, borne from the experimental chamber pop remnants of Prussia, the Detroit trio had pretty much shed all of that and chameleoned itself into a different beast entirely. Even going from single to single (we've heard three so far) there's not really a definitive clear concise way to label what it is Jamaican Queens are going for. Which is fine. Instead you have to actual listen to them.

Their latest single "Water", begins with a rather sludgy synth-intensive deluge that gives way for the entrance of Ryan Spencer's vocals. That's the only break you get before layers upon layers are stacked and the waves of poppy synth goodness gather more and more intensity. It's intricate as hell while managing to be utterly engaging and catchy as all hell.

Jamaican Queens are prepping to release their debut full length Wormfood and it'll certainly be an unpredictable and interesting thrill ride. I know I'm looking forward to it. It'll be out March 5th. 

Listen: Gracie - "Habits"

Yesterday, everyone and their mom sought fit to release a brand new single while I was unable to immediately devour it. One of these such people was Philly-to-New York transplant Gracie with his brand new track "Habits". Did you ever wonder what Gracie, who's responsible for one of my absolute favorites track of 2012 "Creature Pleaser" would sound like if he tackled a ballad? No? Well, it went and happened anyway.

"Habits" is more than your standard ballad coursing with sumptuous beats that trot alongside Andrew Balasia's rough-hewn vocals and simple piano accompaniment until allowed to take center stage at the song's end. The pairing of beats with the emotion-laden vocals doesn't distract however, instead giving the track a much appreciated pulse and a rather sweet, distinctive spin to a standard songwriting trope.

"Habits" proves that Gracie is just as good at crafting heartfelt electro-pop ballads as he is infectious dance-inducing jams. A necessary skill for a diverse and well rounded album. Gracie's Bleeder EP is out March 12th on Small Plates Records. And you can now pre-order a physical 7" single featuring "Creature Pleaser" and "Habits". Do it. You know you want to.

Watch: Jamaican Queens - "Kids Get Away"

Earlier this year we got our first taste of what Detroit synth-pop trio and former Prussia bandmembers Jamaican Queens were brewing up with a two song release. One of them (and the best of the two, in my opinion) was "Kids Get Away" and Jamaican Queens were nice enough to give us a video for it. The video, directed by Andrew Miller, finds a diner patron becoming more and more infatuated with his regular waitress. From his nervous tick to low-intensity stalking and mannequin decoration, the groundwork is laid to have you absolutely creeped out by the guy. And yet one thing Jamaican Queens are not is predictable and the video takes a pretty unexpected twist. I won't ruin it because it's pretty damn clever. So watch the video.



Jamaican Queens are also going on tour early next year so stay tuned for that.

Now Streaming: J Fernandez - No Luck/Olympic Village

Remember J Fernandez: Thin Hymns guitarist/keyboardist Justin Fernandez solo bedroom project? Well, you should. If not, read all about it here. If you were hoping to listen to more of Fernandez' melodic brand of one-man soft rock, today's the day. Morning Ritual is putting out No Luck and Olympic Village, two cassette EP previously only available on limited edition cassettes out into the ether as a double EP.

Which is totally a good thing. Because frankly, the world needs a lot more J Fernandez. The occasional foray into dreamy soundscapes, random bursts of sunny jams, and just stellar musicianship are always pluses in my book and should definitely hover around musicsphere for a lot longer. Here's hoping J Fernandez is working on new tunes because though the double EP just came out, I'm already hooked and eager for more.

You can stream the No Luck/Olympic Village double EP right now via Morning Ritual Records:

Listen: Villagers - "Passing A Message"

Today, Irish band Villagers released their second single "Passing A Message" and it proves that they electronic sound the featured on "The Waves" wasn't just some fluke. It's real, very very real. Their sophomore record Awayland will probably be full to the brim of the stuff. So if you liked Conor O'Brien being all folksy and brooding, you'll have to play Becoming A Jackal on infinite repeat until maybe Villagers third album?

However, if "The Waves" was totally up your alley (and even if it's wasn't) then you are by far in luck. "Passing A Message", in my honest opinion, is the better of the two glimpses at Awayland. It's simpler, groovier, more poetic lyrically (or rather, the lyrics are far easier to appreciate), and I have a hard time believing anyone wouldn't be a fan of it. Diehard folk fans included. It's short and sweet and has just the right amount of jazz chords getting thrown down to make it kinda dance-y. Basically this time round, O'Brien decided to at least sound more upbeat and that's turning out to be a good thing.

Watch/listen to Villagers new single "Passing A Message":


Villagers' sophomore effort Awayland is out January 2013 on Domino Records.

Pitstop: J Fernandez

Yesterday I featured Chicago experimental pop quintet Thin Hymns and apparently they're a band that just keeps on giving. After following the tip from Caleb from Lands & Peoples that led to my newfound love of Thin Hymns, he followed up with something equally as good. Turns out Justin Fernandez, Thin Hymns' guitarist/keyboardist has a solo project appropriately named J Fernandez.

Have you ever heard old school Fleet Foxes EP era Fleet Foxes? Songs like "Textbook Love" and "In the Hot, Hot Rays" with their sunkissed psychedelic rock slant are precisely what you can look forward to in J Fernandez's music (most notably "Wasting the New Year"). But instead of jangly guitars, Fernandez's music doesn't prominently feature them. Relying more on a whatever's clever form of musical composition. 

"No Luck" is a harmony-laden sprawl that which gradually gains complexity as it saunters forth, adding brass along its plodding drums and Fernandez' croon while "Jewelry Watches Gold" and "Fading Out" are Real Estate-esque soft rock jams. 

For a bedroom project, J Fernandez's music has a surprisingly wide scope. From the sparse "Olympic Village People" to the the 70's reminiscent rock of "Wasting The Year" on the same release, to the simplicity of "No Luck" to the complex, layered beast that is "Real Flowers", J Fernandez's music output is dynamic and unpredictable while nevertheless remaining unequivocably good. Here's hoping there's scores and scores of new music to come from Fernandez.     

J Fernandez currently has two cassettes (No Luck and Olympic Village)  out and his music is enough to make me change my whole anti-cassette stance. Luckily if cassettes aren't your thing, J Fernandez is releasing them as a double EP via Morning Ritual. Fans of good music rejoice as J Fernandez's No Luck/Olympic Village double EP will be out October 29th 

Listen: Gracie - Creature Pleaser

For those of you regular blog readers, you might be thinking "Didn't this song come out MONTHS ago?" and the answer to that would be an empathetic yes. But sometimes in the constant search for new tunes or even just new things to be excited about (that aren't particular new to anyone but myself), I lose sight of something I really meant to check out ages ago. That's more or less the story with Gracie's "Creature Pleaser".

Earlier this year when I discovered Small Plates Records, Gracie's Treehouse EP was on an positively absurd amount of repeats. And for some odd reason I neglected to check out the latest single for a hopefully soon forthcoming debut full length from now Brooklyn based pop-crafter Gracie. The best thing about not discovering "Creature Pleaser" until now is that it happened when there's relatively less albums for me to be going crazy about meaning the wide majority of my time could go toward cramming more and more of Gracie's latest jam in my ear-holes.

What makes "Creature Pleaser" so great? Well for starters it's a positively guilt-free jam from it's lively out-of-the-gate jaunt. It's an almost impossibly upbeat romp which pairs a simplistic but no less enjoyable or less layered delivery with an obvious finely crafted construction. Its melody is all-consuming, grabbing hold on you from the start. There's also the little break-down that happens midway through where everything stops and gets built back up and it's a completely modest and utterly endearing gambit for an electronic artist to employ. Exposing just how the ear-catching onslaught was created. But rather than shatter the illusion, the break helps to just pump you up even for more.

Get on your dancing shoes, Ladies and Gents. Gracie's going to make you NEED to dance.

Listen: Ullbasunen - "Wet Suit"

From the misty forest of Mid Sweden rolls something new and different. Meet Ullbasunen (translation: Wool Bassoon), a quirky Swedish electronic artist who stitches together synthy soundscapes with tender love and care.

Like the mists of the Nordlands he calls home Ullbasunen's "Wet Suit" rolls in and out with a sense of pervasive mystery and otherworldly eerie that makes the minimalistic plod intriguing. From it's sparse beginnings, Ullbasunen drapes layers of samples, homemade sounds, and the like atop each other to create a calm ocean of sounds that perfectly balances the track's obvious complexity with a sense of ease and simplicity.

 Ullbasunen - "Wet Suit" by All Around Sound Blog

"Wet Suit" is off of Ullbasunen's upcoming Action Force EP on Chipndamned Records out soon.

Listen: Jamaican Queens - "Kids Get Away"

At the far beginning of this year, Detroit art-pop quintet Prussia went on an indefinite hiatus right after releasing their "Girl Cops" single and turns out about half of the band went on to form Jamaican Queens. I wasn't too sure what to expect from the trio, formed from Prussia singer Ryan Spencer and bassist Adam Pressley along with newcomer Ryan Clancy, but after they dropped two new songs today I have slightly more of an idea for better or worse. Their first track called "When You Sleep" is a samples-mashup and is pretty hit or miss unless you're incredibly into that sort of thing while the second track "Kids Get Away" is definitely something to write home about.

Considering that Spencer's quirky vocals formed the backbone of what I'd call Prussia's characteristic sound, it's tough to separate the two. But Jamaican Queens are far more than another outlet for Prussia to get its wonderfully artfully crafted quirky chamber pop rock out into the world. Far from it. On "Kids Get Away", Jamaican Queens do more to distance themselves from Prussia while also distinguish themselves as a band to watch. There's some samples a la "When You Sleep" but it's more managed and paired with crackling synth lines and Spencer's unique vocals. It's synth-pop goodness and I'd certainly pay to see this happen in front of my very eyes and emotionally invest myself in a record of this catchy a magnitude. Here's hoping there's more to come from Jamaican Queens in this vein.

Pitstop: Raindeer

Turns out one of the best methods to discovering great new music is just to pay attention to your favorite bands and artists. That's more or less how I found Raindeer, the brainchild of Charlie Hughes who's currently part of the Lands & Peoples lineup.

Truth be told, when I first put on the the Baltimore band's debut self-titled EP, I was a little taken aback. One of my least favorite things that's becoming more and more popular is the overwhelming use of vocal effects and so on my first listen to "From the Lagoon", I was quite ready to dislike it. What prevailed was the fact that I had met Charlie during my recent sit down with Lands & Peoples so I decided to give his EP a full spin before making any judgments. Certainly glad I did, as that first track turns out to be just a bit of warm up and the vocal effects an integral of the 80s-inspired dance-pop tunes Raindeer create.

Raindeer's debut EP is pretty darn delightful, it's got a sort of space-aged newness while clearly inspired and infused with the spirit decades long past. At times it's downright dreamy but all throughout it's ear-catching with addictive infectiousness. Raindeer are space-pop voyagers balancing swirling synthy goodness with samples, beats, and playful, even-tempered psychedelic vibes.

Raindeer are sure to set your foot a-tapping and your mind-reeling as they shatter all your expectations of what good, enjoyable music is supposed to sound like. They're fun without being a throwaway band and that's rare. Keep up the weirdness, Raindeer; I'll be watching.

You can listen to Raindeer's full 10 song EP as well as buy it for the low, low price of whatever you feel like paying at their Bandcamp.

Watch: Villagers - "The Waves"

Irish band Villagers are back from a relatively long radio silence while they worked on new stuff with a brand new single. The first new music from the band since the release of Becoming A Jackal is kind of everything the album wasn't. Folky and built around Conor O'Brien's poetic songcraft, "The Waves" is more or less the antithesis of the folky sound I associated with Villagers. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. "The Waves" is a sort of synthy semi beat-driven track that still manages to serves as the appropriate vehicle for O'Brien's lyricism.

Even among its poppy dressings, "The Waves" still shambles around with the sparse, haunting effect Villagers are most known for. It's definitely a new direction for the band but the keystone of the band's effectivenes is still present and that's good enough for me. The jury's still out on if I'd like an full album of the stuff but "The Waves" certainly makes a strong case for it.

Check out Villagers' colorful video for "The Waves" here:


The official single release for "The Waves" happens on October 22nd but you can, if you're so inclined, purchase the digital single on iTunes right now here.

Daughn Gibson - "Reach Into the Fire"

Well turns out Daughn Gibson is having a pretty spectacular year: releasing his debut full length All Hell on White Denim, a 7" single not too long after, and successful completion of his first ever tour. Things certainly seem to be looking up for Gibson. Yesterday, he was one of the artists announced in the initial official CMJ lineup and turns out, sometime when no one was paying attention, Daughn Gibson got signed to Sub Pop Records. Considering the absolute awesomeness of their roster, it certainly makes sense and Gibson celebrates the occasion with a release of a brand new track "Reach Into the Fire" which samples labelmates Shabazz Palaces and Tiny Vipers.

After releasing the super sexy "Lite My Fire" 7" single and the dark nature of many of All Hell's track, "Reach Into the Fire" is a breath of fresh air in Gibson's catalog. Bright and pseudo-inspirational, "Reach Into the Fire" takes a page out of "In the Beginning"'s book without sounding like an exact replica.  It's enough to single-handedly get you excited about Daughn Gibson's future Sub Pop releases. Here's hoping it's not too long now.




Thanks to Frank from Listen Before You Buy for bringing Gibson's label signing to my attention.

Pitstop: High Highs

My introduction to High Highs happened almost a year ago as my first taste of Rawkblog's Mercury Music Digital Record Club. Since then the Brooklyn trio by way of Australia have put out their self titled four song EP via Small Plates Records and have been winning the hearts of plenty with their brand of immersive, quiet folk pop.

What sets High Highs apart from the myriad of other folk pop troubadours is perhaps their subtle pairing of acoustic with electronic elements to achieve dreamy soundscapes not unlike dreampop champions Beach House. Each song on the EP is stunningly arresting and artfully engaging to the point of near confusion: when the last song ends it's like being jerked out of a sound sleep of the most pleasant variety.





Despite the trio's pervasive sense of soft, melodic quiet however there is an awe-inspiring lushness. Full and rich, and delicately arranged as to keep it from ever becoming overwhelming. High Highs draw from an impressive sonic palette that manages to engross all the senses and engages more in four songs than some bands manage to do in years of music-making.



And as can be heard in High Highs latest single "Once Around the House", their musical competency is more than just a four song fluke. High Highs are here to stay with their dazzling brand of subtle, captivating folktronic pop and I for one couldn't be more pleased.



You can grab High Highs self-titled EP from Small Plates Records here.

Levek - "French Lessons"

Where would I be without those lovely folks over at I Guess I'm Floating? Well, probably knowing a whole lot less about awesome new music releases. Just the other day they posted the second new track from Florida musician Levek's upcoming debut full length Look A Little Closer, "French Lessons" (his first was "Black Mold Grow").

"French Lessons" is equal parts whimsical interlude and frolicking groove-centric jam. While Levek's music is certainly no stranger to flights of fancy and almost fantastical sounds, "French Lessons" takes it up a notch. It's music that wouldn't be out of place accompanying a 70s B movie. That kind that you'd totally want to buy the soundtrack for. And maybe that's the appeal? Or at least part of it. Levek's music is a retro in a way that's not as obvious as those bands that set out to imitate bygone times. Retro in a way that's possible only through David Levesque's mastery of a very now assortment of electronics. Whatever the case one thing remains clear: Levek's music is great and the new track "French Lessons" is no exception.

Illuminator - "Tangled With Bear"

When Brooklyn genre-straddling rockers Illuminator gave the first peek of their upcoming sophomore record Soul Sister with "Gulf Hymn", it was clear they were on to something special. A very different special from their fantastic debut record Answer Voice The Child but special nonetheless. Their latest single "Tangled With Bear" extrapolates on this in a way I don't thnk anyone expected.

"Tangled With Bear" unfurls with gentle, bluesy guitar licks before quickly picking up momentum (though making sure you're already on board with its slower, organic start) - snaking around exciting jags and boughs of restrained psychedelia. The emotive power of Bryn Bellomy's vocals all the more sublimating, more effective unhampered by effects. It's a 6.5 minute piece of moving, grooving rock sprawl with just a hint of drama that pushes it towards its eventful conclusion.

On "Tangled With Bear", Illuminator are certainly bringing their A game. Dishing up a soulful rock jam that might very well be one of the best songs the band has released thus far. It's the kind of track that makes the wait for the yet disclosed street date for the upcoming album or even the next single seem like a painful chore.  Until then I'll just keep "Tangle With Bear" on infinite repeat. You might want to do so too.




If you're in the New York area make sure you go to see Illuminator open up for Alt-J at Mercury Lounge (if you can score tickets), it's sure to be a night you won't soon forget. Tickets here.